A Life Creating Corporate Fireworks Displays

Some of the most challenging Fireworks Displays we have done over the years have been for Corporate Client, the flip side of the coin for us with a Fireworks Display for the Corporate Display Sector is the fact they spend more but also make some very special requests.

The corporate client tend to be a little more fussy about their plans for a Fireworks Display, and of course anything done in the name of that company reflects on them so the Fireworks and Pyrotechnics have to be very special indeed as well as being perfectly executed with the upmost professionalism.

Over the years our company have provided displays for some of the biggest names around, Shell, 3M, Ford, BBC, Mobil 1 to name just a few. In many cases the Fireworks are put to us through a third party organiser and the whole vision can be part and parcel of a whole day of entertainment along with lavish settings at beautiful venues all in the aid of impressing their own clients and partners.

The shows them selves usually include a lot of themed material by colour and specific effects and patterns to promote and emphasise the product or company we are dealing with. In addition to that we regularly supply and make bespoke fire sculptures or Lancework Devices (coloured firework writing) so we can put a message across to the audience as well. We have on occasion also brought in lighting and lasers to write messages and project images to let everyone know who paid for the Fireworks.

What’s good for us as designers of these shows is being handed a project and then re creating that using old pyrotechnic methods combined with some of the latest Firework Display technology and software to put the whole show into place and ultimately entertain everyone and get a great response from them afterwards.

I recall doing a Fireworks Display at Kedleston Hall for Nottingham East Midlands Airport when it was their 40^th Birthday Celebrations, of course the whole theme was a “Ruby Party” and that included the tableware the inside design of the Marquee and of course the Fireworks. The entire show was virtually entirely red, pretty easy you think?? Well to create an interesting show without repetition in one single colour for around Four or Five minutes is not easy. The good news for us was because we have so much variety of material available ensured we could provide a show without excessive repeat of any one effect.

Our style has always been to create specific colour themes in most of our shows, with that in mind we do order many single colour effects in all Firework Types, Rockets, Shells, Cakes, Roman Candles and other Set Pieces so we could choose several products from each of the Firework Types and then just utilise the Red Components and make a large scale all Ruby Red Show.

Recently we provided a show for a Private Party for a wealthy family and the Fireworks Display was set to music and as it was for a Young Lady we were asked if we could match the Pink Feather Bowers and Bright Pink Carpet in the extravagant Marquee so we did with an ALL Pink Finale, it really looked stunning with a splash of Silver over the Top!

Organising Wedding Fireworks

1^st Galaxy Fireworks have been involved in Fireworks Displays since 1995; in fact the Family behind the company started providing Fireworks in 1985 for Lee’s (The Son) local School.

Since 1995 it’s clear to us the number of Wedding Fireworks Displays has grown hugely, its now on the list of so many would be bride and grooms and for many it’s right near the top of the list to. Of course choosing a Firework company and being satisfied that you have made the right choice can be pretty stressful, especially when you consider that you have so many other decisions to make.

There are a few golden rules to adhere to, in our own experience when dealing with Corporate Organisers and Councils, those who are in the “trade” there are always a set of standard questions to ask. Assuming the Firework Company you are considering can fulfil all of the questions you have asked you can be sure that you are 75% of the way to finding the right company.

The following questions are very important and must be fulfilled to be sure that the company is some way to being a “Professional Company”

1. Ask for a copy of their Insurance (Public Liability Minimum should be £5 Million Pounds
2. Confirm that they hold at least a Health & Safety Executive Storage and/or Factory Licence.
3. Confirm that they are a Member of the British Fireworks Association
4. Ask to see a written Schedule of what is in the Display

To further explain the above please read these notes –

Step 1. The reason you should ask for this is any Venue that you have your reception at will need to see one for sure, but also in the event that the company causes any damage to the property or even injures a guest at your wedding they will be adequately insured to cover any costs associated with the damage. Please double check the date of the cover extends to your event date, if it expires before hand remember to request a copy again after to renewal date. This will also demonstrate the company is a serious Display Company as policies are not cheap, and require certain minimum criteria in order for the underwriters to offer cover

Step 2. Its important to establish that the Company you are using actually has the correct legal storage. There are a number of reasons for this, not just breaking the law but also this will go some way to confirming that the company are a “Professional Company”. Again please note that Local Authority Storage Registration for Fireworks is not really suitable, you want to see evidence of at least a Local Authority Licence or even better would be a Health & Safety Executive Storage Licence as this would show the company has a large capacity for storage and more likely to be able to store the kind of material that should be in a Professional Show. Remember Fireworks are explosives and are tightly controlled when it comes to their storage.

Step 3. Ask them or look out for any reference to being members of the British Fireworks Association or the “BPA”. Membership requires a minimum set of joining criteria related to company turnover, storage and insurance. But in addition to this and equally as important ask that their employees have been trained to BPA L1 & L2 Status. This will confirm that the people in charge of setting up and lighting your fireworks have been trained and passed exams in proven and safe working methods.

Step 4. As a matter of Standard Practice any decent Fireworks Display company will offer you a list of Fireworks to fit a certain budget, they will describe the type, size and effect of the fireworks as well as the quantity of them in the show. If a company simply writes a nice letter confirming they “will provide a stunning display for 5 minutes for £700” I would be weary, it’s important to know what you’re getting for your money, even if you are unsure of what the items actually are.

These basic rules will go a long way to ensuring you make the right choice, our company provide this information for free either in the form of a written brochure or you can download the information from our website http://www.galaxy-fireworks.co.uk

Fireworks Displays - Valencia

For me one of the highlights of being in the Fireworks Industry is the fact that I get to travel the world. In the years I have been involved with Fireworks I have travelled to China, Spain, Germany, Ireland and many other places. One of the main aims of my travels is to buy Fireworks as well as to see other International Fireworks Display Companies in action. For the last three years I have had the privilege of travelling to Valencia in Spain to see the world renowned “Las Fallas” Festival. This cultural and religious festival which I believe to be a celebration of St James is a must for any traveller irrespective of the Fireworks.

The Celebrations start in late February or early March and continue for around a month, there are regular Parades and Flower Exhibits as well as Street Entertainers and the wonderful Cartoon like intricate sculptures which are ultimately burnt to the ground on the Final Night known as “Nit de Foc”. On the 16^th – 19^th March (those nights inclusive) there are literally Hundreds of Fireworks Displays both in the day and during the Night. The Daylight shows known as Masceleta are something else, they happen at 2pm and there are loads going off at the same time around the City. The small ones can be great fun, however it’s the Main City Plaza or Market Square where the big one happens. At around 1pm the Centre starts to get very busy indeed and you need to get there an hour early at least to get a good spot. As it gets closer to around 1.30pm they actually begin closing streets down and putting up barriers.

As 2pm approaches and there are 10’s of 1000’s of people packed into the Square there is a 10 minute warning in the form of a massive heavy Maroon which shakes the buildings in the City. Again Five minutes later there is another warning and at this point the crowd start to get excited, knowing that soon there will be an almighty onslaught of Maroons, Whistles and Smoke. With a minute or so to go and everyone’s eye is on the Main City Hall Clock Tower the crowd start to wave and whistle, you can feel the electricity and excitement as the First Maroon that Signals the start of the show Thunders through the streets.

Each show is unique and having seen probably 14 shows now no one has ever been the same, now to be fair as an expert and a bit of an anorak perhaps I am looking too deep into the detail. The aim of the show is to create as much noise as possible, but not just that on its own, the best shows I have seen have been almost like Music to the ears. Having a noticeable rhythm that the crowd =can pick up on is the aim, when a good one comes along you can see the 1000’s of heads and hands bobbing and waving in tune with the noise that’s been created. Extra to that is the actual vibration that you feel, the smell of Pyrotechnic Powder and the sheer noise that they make.

Some of the material is aerial and some is ground based and as the show progresses the pace builds as does the size of the material and the tone of the Maroons changes as they use small clusters and large single maroons.

One of the best I saw used an electrical firing system, picture for a minute a tennis court with large fist sized maroons hung from a rope around the circumference of the firing site, each one individually connected to a computer or some other form of electrical ignition. As part of the finale they ignite the first one and then there off falling and banging like falling dominos as each one goes off, the electrical current flying in a circular fashion, igniting them as the noise flies round the large firing site taking the noise to the other side of the Plaza and back round again….it stops, then whoosh back the other way with increased speed, then it stops again and then WHOOSH even faster back where it came from, the hairs on your body all on end.

As the Finale draws to a close you feel completely and utterly overwhelmed, all of your sense, Hearing, Vision, Touch all pulsating to their limits, your almost holding your breath and as the last Maroon echo’s across the city the crowd release there breath in a huge round of applause and cheer for more !

At 1^st Galaxy Fireworks we use these amazing experiences to improve our own Firework Displays and shows, inspiring us to create such a level of excitement and anticipation.